Against the backdrop of the rapid development of the new energy industry, the requirements for structural reliability and assembly consistency in lithium battery power systems and energy storage systems are constantly increasing. Battery module casings typically use lightweight materials such as aluminum alloys, which offer significant advantages in weight reduction and heat dissipation, but also present new challenges to connection methods. In thin-plate or sheet metal structures, achieving stable and reusable threaded connections under limited plate thickness has gradually become a key issue in engineering design.
Pressure-clinching fastening technology has been widely applied to meet this need. Self-clinching fasteners, represented by self-clinching bolts and self-clinching screws, embed themselves into the base material under controlled pressure, forming a reliable mechanical locking structure without introducing the heat effect of welding. This connection method avoids the dependence on plate thickness inherent in traditional tapping and reduces the risks of deformation and stress concentration caused by welding, making it highly adaptable to the engineering of new energy battery casing structures.
From a structural perspective, the core of a clapping screw lies in its specially designed crimping zone. When the fastener is pressed into the aluminum alloy sheet, localized material undergoes plastic flow and fills the crimping groove, achieving anti-rotation and anti-pull-out effects. After installation, the fastener and sheet metal form an integrated structure, providing a stable threaded interface for subsequent assembly. This method is particularly suitable for modular systems requiring frequent disassembly and maintenance.
Specifically, Self-Clinching Compression Screws and Push-In Clinching Screws are often used in scenarios with high assembly efficiency requirements. Their installation process is simplified, requiring only standard pressure equipment, and is easy to integrate into automated production lines. For mass-produced products such as new energy battery modules, crimping installation helps improve cycle time consistency and reduce human assembly errors.
Material properties are fundamental to the reliability of crimped fasteners. Common self-clinching studs and other self-locking fasteners often use carbon steel, stainless steel, or surface-treated alloy materials to balance strength, corrosion resistance, and cost. When used with aluminum alloy casings, appropriate material selection helps reduce the risk of electrochemical corrosion and ensures stable mechanical properties under long-term service conditions.
In terms of manufacturing processes, self-locking crimp fasteners typically achieve their basic geometry through precision cold forging, followed by heat treatment and surface treatment processes to ensure dimensional consistency and stable mechanical properties. For products such as threaded clinching screws, thread accuracy and crimping zone geometry control are particularly critical, directly impacting installation success rate and final connection strength. Mature manufacturing processes maintain good consistency in mass production, meeting the quality control requirements of the new energy industry.
Compared to traditional connection solutions, self-clinching threaded fasteners demonstrate several advantages in engineering applications. Compared to welded studs, they do not require high-temperature operation, avoiding impact on the battery casing surface treatment and internal structure; compared to rivet nuts, they have stronger anti-rotation capabilities, suitable for withstanding vibration and cyclic loads; compared to direct tapping, they have lower plate thickness requirements, better aligning with lightweight design trends. These characteristics make crimping fastening technology a mainstream choice in new energy equipment manufacturing.
In industry applications, self-locking mounting screws are widely used for connecting the end plates, side plates, and internal support structures of power battery modules, and are also applied to the enclosures and mounting brackets of energy storage battery systems. In these scenarios, self-locking mounting screws can improve assembly efficiency and maintenance convenience while ensuring structural strength, thus positively impacting the overall reliability of the system.
As new energy technologies continue to evolve, the requirements for safety, modularity, and maintainability of battery systems will further increase. As a crucial solution in the field of thin-plate connections, press-fit fasteners are undergoing continuous design and process optimization. Some standardized products, such as the Revtex® Self-Clinching Screw, exemplify the industry's exploration of structural optimization and installation consistency.
Overall, self-locking fastening technology based on the press-fit principle is playing an increasingly important role in the structural design of new energy lithium batteries. Through proper selection and process control, Self-Clinching Bolts and related products can provide reliable, stable, and sustainable connection methods in lightweight structures, providing solid support for the large-scale manufacturing and long-term operation of new energy systems.
contact us
